Past Simple vs Past continuous

Multiple Choice

Susie  (watch) a film when she  (hear) the noise.

• watched / was hearing
• was watching / heard

Multiple Choice

Who ............................................to you when I .............................you in the park?

• were talking / saw
• was talking / saw
• talking / saw

Past Simple VS Past Continuous

What did you do yesterday?

Yesterday, I went to the cinema.

Past Simple

• finished actions in the past (I went to the cinema.)

• habits or states in the past (When I was 5, I rode my bike every day.)

• actions happening one after the other in the past (I woke up, brushed my teeth and had breakfast.)

He used to play the saxophone.

Is this a habit or a state?

Keywords/phrases

yesterday, in the past, last night/year/month etc./in 2020 etc.

Multiple Choice

True or False:

For regular verbs, you can add -ed to form the Past Simple.

• True

• False

Regular verbs

• -ed: played

• -d: danced

• -(c)ed: robbed

• -ied: cry -> cried

Past continuous

What were you doing at 6' yesterday?

Past continuous

• actions happening at a specific time in the past (I was watching TV yesterday at 6'.)

• story narrative (It was snowing and the kids were playing...)

• Parallel actions (I was studying while my sister was cooking.)

Keywords/phrases

at that time, at that moment, then, at 9' o'clock yesterday, while, as etc.

Multiple Choice

Correct or Incorrect:

My sister was chatting with her friends when the bell was ringing.

• Correct

• Incorrect

When VS While

When + Past Simple (short action)

While + Past Continuous (long action)

Fill in the Blank

When or while?

Mum was setting the table _________ she heard a loud noise from the kitchen.

Fill in the Blank

When or while?

Susan was doing her homework ________ we were sleeping.

Multiple Choice

What (you/do) when I (call) you last night?

• did you do / was calling
• were you doing / called

Multiple Choice

I  (sit) in a cafe when you  (call).

• was sitting / called
• sat / were calling

Multiple Choice

Susie  (watch) a film when she  (hear) the noise.

• watched / was hearing
• was watching / heard

Multiple Choice

Yesterday I  (go) to the library, next I  (have) a swim, later I  (meet) Julie for coffee.

• went / had / met
• was going / was having / was meeting

Multiple Choice

What  (they/do) at 10pm last night - it was really noisy?

• did they do
• were they doing

Multiple Choice

He  (take) a shower when the telephone  (ring).

• was taking / rang
• was taking / was ringing

Multiple Choice

When I  (walk) into the room, everyone  (work).

• was walking / was working
• walked / was working

Multiple Choice

When her train  (get) to the station, we  (wait) on the platform.

• got / were waiting
• was getting / were waiting

Multiple Choice

I .............................home when I met my old friend from primary school. 

• walked
• was walking 
• was coming

Multiple Choice

Where ............................................. these beautiful shoes?

• did you bought
• did you buy
• were you buying

Multiple Choice

Who ............................................to you when I .............................you in the park?

• were talking / saw
• was talking / saw
• talking / saw

Multiple Choice

The kids ...............................................when I entered their bedroom. 

• wasn't sleeping
• didn't slept
• weren't sleeping

Multiple Choice

While I was waiting for the bus it suddenly .............................to rain. 

• begin
• beginned
• began

Multiple Choice

Why .......................................................... when I came into the room?

• she was crying
• was she crying
• were she crying

Multiple Choice

I ....................................so much time studying when I was a child. 

• didn't spent
• didn't spend
• was spending